| Abstract: | The moth Cystidia couaggaria (Guenée) is a relevant pest of the tree Photinia × fraseri. In 2018—2020, a survey of the biological characteristics of C. couaggaria was carried out by field testing around Mingxi and Fuzhou, in the Fujian province of China. In addition, experiments on the biocontrol of C. couaggaria by Beauveria bassiana were performed. Results showed that in Mingxi and Fuzhou C. couaggaria had one generation per year, with overwintering of eggs, hatching into larvae in mid-March of the following year, pupation in late April, and beginning of egg laying in mid May, three days after the emergence of adults. Larvae were treated with a powder firecracker loaded with B. bassiana conidia at a concentration of 1.0×108 spores·mL-1. Nine days after conidia application, the mortality rate of larvae ranged from 78.3% to 84.0%, showing a good biocontrol effect. |
